Examples of such special number calls are 9-1-1 calls for seeking emergency services and other abbreviated number calls for non-emergency special services, such as “N-1-1” systems. Examples of such N-1-1 systems include “3-1-1” (urgent but not emergency calls) and “5-1-1” (traffic inquiry calls). Special number calls may also include, by way of further example and not by way of limitation, abbreviated numbers for calling commercial services, such as “*820” (calling a radio station) or “GOTIX” (calling for tickets).
For purposes of illustration, by way of example and not by way of limitation, the present invention will generally be described in the context of an emergency service network in the United States, commonly referred to as a 9-1-1 network. The teachings of the present invention are equally applicable, useful and novel in other special number calling systems, such as maintenance service networks, college campus security networks, abbreviated number networks for calling commercial services and other networks.
A communication unit or station may be configured to accommodate and utilize multiple modes of operation, sometimes referred to as a multi-mode phone. A multi-mode phone may be configured to operate in either a land-line mode or a mobile mode. A mobile-capable phone may be configured as a multiple-mode capable mobile station, also sometimes referred to as a multi-mode mobile phone. By way of example and not by way of limitation, multi-mode mobile phone may be configured as a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) unit or another mobile wireless communication device.
By way of further example and not by way of limitation, a multi-mode mobile phone may implement two or more communicating standards or protocols: Radio Access Network (RAN) implementing various technologies, for example Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Group Speciale Mobile (GSM; also referred to as Global System for Mobile communications), Personal Communications System (PCS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or other technologies.
Additional communicating standards or protocols may further include, for example, Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Communicating standards or protocols available to multi-mode mobile phones may further include, by way of example and not by way of limitation, non-voice or data protocols such as Short Message Service (SMS).
Different communicating standards or protocols may yield different qualities of communication links under different circumstances such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, different geographic locations, different deployment patterns of supporting infrastructure relating to particular standards or protocols or other circumstances.
By way of still further example and not by way of limitation, a multi-mode mobile phone may also support multiple carriers. Different carriers may offer similar or different communication standards or protocols within the same geographic area and may yield different results.
It would be useful to be able to identify which carrier, standard or protocol that is supported by a particular multi-mode phone may yield a best or most reliable communication link or location information to support a particular special number call.
There is a need for a system and method for effecting special number communications by a multi-mode phone using a preferred mode.